A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to an apparatus for bundling small, relatively flat objects, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for bundling objects such as bags which are normally compressed prior to tying.
B. Description of the Prior Art
A bundler for flat objects made by the Strong Robinette Machine Company of Bristol, Tennessee, consists of a pair of vertically aligned platens. The bottom platen is disposed on top of an air cylinder used for selective vertical reciprocating movement along a vertical back plate. The top platen is horizontally movable along the back plate by a second air cylinder. This device operates as follows. The end of a continuous sheet of wrapping paper is first led down along the back plate and across the bottom platen. A number of bags are stacked on the bottom platen and the wrapping paper. The top platen is shifted horizontally into alignment with the bottom platen and the vertical air cylinder is activated to compress the bags between the top and bottom platen. A score wheel with a cutter is used to cut the wrapping paper above the top platen after which the operator wraps and tapes the paper about the compressed bag bundle with the top platen extending into the bundle. The bottom platen is moved back to its lower position, leaving the bundle suspended from the top platen. The top platen is shifted horizontally past a stationary stop which forces the bundle off the top platen. The operator catches the bundle, places it on a stack of other bundle and repeats the operation with the next bundle.
A problem with this prior art apparatus is that the space the vertical cylinder under the bottom platen limits the maximum size of the bundle to a small number of bags.
A further problem has been that the machine operates slowly.
Yet another problem has been that because the back plate is vertical, the bundle had a tendency to tip over unless the operator held it with one hand. Obviously this feature rendered the operation both dangerous and cumbersome.